Rail-securing device



(No Model.) -V. WIERMAN. RAIL vSECURING DEVICE.

INVENTORY w; WW 4 Patented Jan. 1, 1895.

UNITED STATES prion,

PATENT RAlL-SECU RING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming pait of Letters Patent N 0. 531,819, dated January 1, 1895."

Application filed December 6, 1893. Serial No. 492,924 (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, VICTOR WIERMAN, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rail-SecuringDevices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rail-fastening device constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig 2 is a plan view; and Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section on the line IIIIII of Figs. 1 and 2.

The object of my invention is to provide improved means for fastening railway and tramway rails to theirties or supports in such a manner as to permit them to be shifted and adjusted in position to secure the proper gage of the track without disturbing the tie or support. The parts in the device are so arranged that they can be easily removed for their renewal without disturbing the bearing of the ties on the roadbed or injuring them by driving additional holes intp them as is necessary in most such devices. The construction is such as to hold the rail (and the tieplate if used) tightly to the tie and to hold the whole tie from its lower surface upward directly under the bearing of the rail, firmly connecting them together by the bolts, plates, &c., hereinafter described, making a strong and substantial structure,

In the accompanying drawings, 2 represents a railway rail; 3, one of the ties 5 a, a tie plate on which the rail rests; 5, 6, bolts which extend from a common horizontal pivot-pin or bolt 7 upward to opposite sides of the rail through the tie and through slots in the plate 4. These plates are preferably staggered somewhat, that is to say they are not placed opposite to one another, but the degree of their lateralseparation may be determined in making the holes in the tie and tieplates according to the judgment of the engineer applying the same. The pin 7 fits in a trans verse hole which extends through the tie and intersects the lower portions of the holes made for the bolts 5, 6, so that after these bolts are set in place the pins can be inserted through eyes, hooks, or other securing device at their lower ends, and that the bolts will then have capacity for some radial oscillatory movement within the holes in which they are fitted.

For the purpose of giving greater strength and firmness to the connection of the bolts 5 and 6 with the tie, I prefer to apply to the bottom of the tie a U shaped clip-plate 8, the branches of which fit on opposite sides of the tie and have holes through which the pin or bolt 7 passes. The connection of the bolts with the tie is rendered by this clip-plate very strong, since it practically makes the whole body of the tie between the plate 8 and the rail effective in taking the strain. The use of a bottom plate for the tie in combination with rail-holding bolts of any construction is therefore claimed by me broadly. The clipplate 8 is also preferably provided on the bottom with downwardly projecting flanges 9, which, by fitting in the ballast of the permanent way, tend to prevent longitudinal shifting of the tie. At the upper end of the bolts 5 and 6 are wedge-shaped clips or blocks 10, having enlarged holes or slots through which the bolts pass and fitting on the tie-plate 4c and over the edges of the rail flanges. Nuts 11 are applied to the bolts, and when screwed down upon the inclined faces of the clips or blocks 10, press them inwardly and downwardly against the flanges of the rail so as to hold the latter firmly to the tie. The lateral adjustment of the rail upon the tie may be accomplished readily by loosening the nuts 11 on one side of the rail, and tightening the nuts on the other side, the effect of which is by pressing on the blocks to shift the rail laterally.

The ease by which the track can be gaged accurately without the necessity of drawing and inserting spikes,constitutes averyimportant advantage of my improvement, since the use of spikes by making in the tie holes in which the water can collect, causes the tie to rot rapidly, and, furthermore, a multitude of holes impairs the security by which the rail is held in place and shortens the life of the tie.

My improved device is simple in construction. It is easily applied and easily adjusted, and has desirable qualities of strength and durability. The bolts 5 and 6, pin 7, tie-plate 4, clips 10 and nuts 11 may be removed at any time without disturbing the tie or its bearing on the roadbed, thus enabling the rails and tieplates, or any of the other parts above men'- tioned, to be changed or renewed without disturbing the tie or its bearing, and without injuring it by making fresh holes in the tie by drawing and replacing spikes as heretofore.

My invention may be applied not only to wooden ties, but to metal ties of various con structions.

WVithin the scope of my broader claims, instead of using a single pin or bolt 7 for both bolts 5 and 6, I may provide the latter bolts with separate holding pins. The location of the pin or pins 7 may be changed, but in all cases it should be below the surface of the top of the tie, whether it passes directly through the body of the tie, or beneath its lower surface.

It should be understood that within the scope of my broader claims, many changes in the construction and arrangement of the parts may be made by the skilled mechanic. For example, the plate t and clip-plate 8 may be omitted or substituted byequivalent con structions, and other changes may be made, and other fastening devices may be used for holding the bolts 5 and 6, instead of the pin 7.

I claim- 1. As means for holding a rail to its tie, holding bolts which are inserted obliquely in the tie and pivotally engage a single transverse pin or bolt, said holding bolts having nuts to engage the base of the rail, substantially as described.

2. As means for holding a rail to its tie, holding bolts which are inserted obliquely in the tie and are provided with clips for engaging the rail, and a transverse bolt extending through registering eyes in the holding bolts, whereby the rail may be adjusted, substantially as described.

3. As means for holding a railway rail to its tie, a metal bottom plate which fits beneath the tie, and bolts for holding the rail, said bolts being connected with said bottom plate, whereby the bottom plate serves as a strong bearing for said bolts, and as a lower bearin g for the tie; substantially as described.

4:. As means for holding the rail to its tie, oscillatory holding-bolts which are inserted from above in holes in the tie and are held by a transverse holding pin or bolt situate below the upper surface of the tie, slotted clips or blocks on the bolt, and means for pressing them against the rail to hold the same and to permit its lateral adjustment; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

VICTOR WIERMAN. Witnesses:

W. B. CORWIN, H. M. Oonwm. 

